InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Another Time, Another Life ❯ Conclusions ( Chapter 15 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

All Standard Disclaimers Apply

A big thank you goes out to Lady Sere, who without her, you probably would have gone another month or so without seeing this chapter.

It's for her that I dedicate this chapter!

And without further ado, here is the conclusion to Another Time, Another Life.

Chapter Fifteen:

The snow had begun falling hours ago and a nice white blanket now covered the ground. Sota and the boys were out shoveling snow from the walkway under the supervision of Mr. Higurashi but he seemed to only be yelling at the boys who were quickly starting a massive snow fight.

Kagome was in the kitchen helping her mother cook dinner. Ayumi, Chizu, Iku, and Izanami were helping entertain several of Shippo's children who were playing in the living room with their mother.

Amida, Kagome's doctor from the hospital, had come over by invitation from Mrs. Higurashi and was helping out in any way he could.

It had been several months since the party and Kagome's release. Everyone still kept an eye on her to make sure she was doing okay but she usually responded badly to the attention and angrily blew up at her friends and family.

"How are you feeling Kagome?" Amida asked as she brought some food into the formal dining room where he was he was helping set the table.

She smiled at him, slowly growing an attachment for the man. "I'm doing fine. I think I'm getting a bit of a cold but other than that I'm great."

Mrs. Higurashi came in with another platter of food. "She has a cold because she always sleeps with her window open at night."

Amida looked at her disapprovingly. "Kagome you should know better than that, especially with such cold weather as we're having."

Mrs. Higurashi giggled. She set the plate down and walked over to Amida. She placed a light kiss on his cheek.

"Don't fuss at her Amida, it isn't her fault. Fuss at Miroku he's the one who always forgets to close it when he comes and goes."

Kagome gasped and nearly dropped the plate she was holding. Mrs. Higurashi was laughing at her daughter who was now beet red.

"Honestly, Kagome, I'm not deaf."

Kagome merely stuttered trying to come up with some excuse. She was saved when Miroku chose that time to walk into the dining room. She rushed into his arms and hid her face in his chest. He looked down at her confused and then back at her mother as she continued laughing.

"Um - did I miss something?" He asked wrapping his arms around Kagome.

"Nothing dear, I was just explaining to Amida that Kagome was catching a cold because you were forgetting to close the window at night. Though I'm going to have to ask you to stop it since you've obviously gotten my daughter sick."

Miroku went rigid and turned ghostly pale.

"We'll have to see about getting you a key so you can just come in through the front door like normal people do."

"Hey Takai, your parents are here!" Seiichi called.

Miroku sighed at the interruption but he couldn't hide his surprise at how Mrs. Higurashi handled the situation. She rushed off to the foyer to greet the newest guests.

"I'm confused." Amida said scratching his head. "Which is your real name, Miroku or Takai?"

Both teens sweatdropped. "Takai is my birth name. Miroku is just a nickname I've picked up."

"That seems to be a strange nickname." He commented.

Miroku just smiled down at Kagome and kissed her forehead.

"No, it's something very close to my heart." He said never taking his eyes from the beauty in his arms.

Amida smiled at the two. They really were meant for each other.

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Kagome had returned to the kitchen with Miroku and Amida in tow so she could finish getting everything plated and on the table. She was putting the massive amount of rice they had cooked into several bowls when she was attacked at the knees.

She looked down to see a smiling Sen happily hugging her as hard as he could.

"Sen!" She exclaimed and bent down to pick him up.

"Kagome!" He squealed and threw his arms around her neck.

She returned his hug but soon found that the hyper child had no intention of letting her go. She giggled and adjusted him so that he was resting on her hip. With the grace that is usually only obtained through motherhood, Kagome poured the rest of the rice in the bowls.

"Here hold this with both hands and be careful not to drop it." She told him handing him one of the rice bowls.

He nodded and took one of the bowls with a look of extreme concentration. Kagome grabbed one herself and brought it into the dining room. She placed both bowls onto the table and went back to repeat the process.

"Sen, don't bug Kagome." Miroku said trying to take his brother out of his girlfriend's arms.

He began wailing as loud as he could, bringing all the adults into the kitchen.

"Takai, leave your little brother alone." His mother scolded.

Sen's wailing stopped to just a slight sniffling as he buried himself into Kagome's shoulder.

"Mom, get him to stop bugging Kagome, she's trying to do stuff and he won't let go of her."

"Takes after his older brother." His father commented earning him a glare from his son and a hit on the arm from his wife.

Mrs. Higruashi and Shippo found this funny and were snickering.

"Let him be, he's happy there. Kagome, why don't you go and begin to gather everyone in the dining room anyway." She asked, finally ending her laughter.

"I'll get my crew." Shippo said heading for the living room where he could hear his twins fighting over something mundane.

Kagome nodded and allowed her mom to take over for her. She went and greeted Miroku/Takai's parents since she had yet to talk to them today before walking into the living room.

Seiichi, Koga, Haru, Hakkaku, Ginta and Sota were all playing video games. Ayumi was chatting with the female wolves, now completely aware of their true identity.

Koga had asked her out a week or so after Kagome had gotten out of the hospital and a couple months after that he had revealed the truth but not before dropping tons of hints in hopes that her brilliant mind would pick up on the clues and not be too freaked out when he out-right told her.

She didn't freak out, much to everyone's relief, and she and Koga were still a happy couple. Though sometimes, she confessed to Kagome, the reality of the age difference was a little too much for her.

"Hey guys, time for dinner." Kagome announced.

The women in the room nodded and moved to help Shippo rid himself of several tickling children. The boys didn't seem to acknowledge her and when she repeated herself a little louder with still no response she took desperate measures.

She snuck around the group and pulled the chords for both the game system and the TV out of the wall instantly losing them everything. Six very angry boys turned to stare at her with murderous glares. Kagome just smiled and Sen giggled at them.

"I said, dinner's ready." She threw her hair over her shoulder and walked out.

Sen moved so he could make faces at the still stunned boys as they left. Soon they followed her into the dining room grumbling about stupid girls.

"Well, it's going to be a tight fit but just find a spot." Mrs. Higurashi announced and sat down at the head of the table with Amida.

Sota sat next to his grandfather and Seiichi at the other end of the table. Kagome took a seat next to Sota and soon found Sen in her lap. She giggled and gave the boy another hug before she made sure they were both comfortable.

Miroku sat next to them with his parents on the other side. All eyes were on Kagome, Miroku and Sen as the two Tensei boys fought over Kagome's attention.

Across from Kagome sat Ayumi between Seiichi and Koga. Koga's pack sat next to him and Shippo and his family sat at the end between Koga's pack and Amida.

Shippo's current wife was human and so she easily fell into conversation with the doctor. He, and the Tensei's were the only ones who weren't aware of the non-human guests that occupied the room and no one saw any reason to share, seeing as they probably wouldn't believe them anyway.

After a quick speech from the elder Higurashi they all dug into the plentiful feast in front of them. Conversations bounced around and an air of light humor and deep bonds radiated from the room.

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The dinner had longed finished and the party had split up. The boys had started a fire within the small fireplace in the living room and most of the guests had settled in front of it.

The adults, minus Shippo and his wife, were chatting in the kitchen while drinking an after dinner coffee.

The rest had crowded in front of the smoldering fire with hot drinks of their own and supplies to make s'mores.

Shippo helped his kids: Daniel, Caleb (the twins), Françoise, and Sakura, along with Sen and Sota toast the marshmallows amongst the flames. Many were lost in the fire, even more burnt to an almost inedible consistency but of the few that made it out of the fires still edible were either greedily and quickly eaten among with melted chocolate and graham crackers or somehow found its way all over Sen's body.

The youngest Tensei was covered in melted marshmallow goo causing every last bit of him to be extremely sticky. Kagome giggled at the three year olds hair that was sticking together in clumps and at odd angles. Mistake for Kagome who soon found herself under siege of messy kisses from the small child. Her giggles intensified as she gave a half-assed attempt to stop them.

Miroku watched from his position next to the fire. After he finished the s'more he was working on, he went to rescue his girlfriend from the sticky onslaught of his younger brother.

"Hey there squirt, leave Kagome alone, you're getting her all dirty with Sen coodies."

Sen pouted and squirmed to get out of his older brother's grasp. The boy wasn't stupid; he knew there weren't such things as coodies.

"But Takai,” He whined. "You get to spend time with her all the time. It's my turn."

The group in the living room laughed at the boy's serious expression as he challenged his older brother for Kagome's attention.

"Hey does that mean I get a turn too?" Seiichi asked with a Koga-esc smile playing on his lips.

"NO!" Both Tensei boys answered sternly and in unison.

Silence filtered into the room for a brief second before a roaring laughter took a hold of everyone. A grumbling complaint of 'noisy children' was heard from the edge of the room and Kagome turned to see her grandfather standing there, shaking his head.

"It's late, I'm going to bed. Some of us have to work tomorrow. Please keep the noise down." He continued to grumble, obviously upset about having to go to bed, probably against his own will as well.

Kagome smiled at the man and rushed over to kiss his cheek goodnight. He made a face and touched the spot his granddaughter had just kissed. His hand slightly stuck and he began grumbling again about kids and their mysterious ways of staying messy. Another round of laughter took the room before they all began to settle down again to finish off the s'mores.

It was after midnight when Amida had to leave. He said goodnight politely to the whole group before walking to the door with Kagome's mother in tow. Sota and Kagome crept to the hallway to spy on their mother as she blushed prettily and accept a small peck from the doctor. He continued to complement the night and company and then with another kiss and a promise that he would call tomorrow when he got off shift, he left the house.

"You two need to learn some lessons in stealth."

Sota and Kagome's eyes widened in realization that they had been busted. They tried to sneak back into the living room but were followed.

"Actually you all need some stealth lessons, especially if you keep planning on sneaking into my house at all hours of the night." She said in mock seriousness with hands on her hips.

The guilty blushed and looked down at their feet while the others looked surprised by the confession. With a smile and a beautiful laugh the eldest Higurashi woman left the room to return to entertaining the Tensei's.

A few awkward minutes later Ayumi took notice of the time and announced she needed to get home before her one o'clock curfew. This was Koga's cue to get his things to take her home.

"Bye Ayumi, call me tomorrow!" Kagome called to the girl who she had become so much closer to since finding out the truth behind Gregor/Koga's identity as well as the truth behind her 'mysterious illnesses'.

It was so much easier for her now that she had someone that understood she wasn't sick all the time and at the same time Ayumi became even more amazed with Kagome's abilities. Not only was she strong but also she was still able to continue on to High School even though she had missed so many days of school due to her travels. This only set Ayumi's determination for her friend's academic success.

'Just think Kagome, if you could still make passing marks through middle school while you were so distracted just think of what you can do when you concentrate fully on your studies! You could be in the top percentile!'

Kagome giggled to herself. Only Ayumi would get so excited over grades and school. She turned around in the doorway when she heard a rustled of fabric. Shippo and his family were gathering their things with Hakkaku, Ginta, Haru and the rest of the wolves behind them.

"Are all you leaving as well?" Kagome pouted.

Shippo looked up from helping his youngest son with his shoes. He gave her a sympathetic smile before rushing over and hugging her as hard as he could. He let go before he could hurt her but didn't step back.

"We're going to stay another couple of days before we need to head back and spend some time with Gisele's family. I'll give you a call tomorrow but now we're going to leave you to get some rest. Thank you and your mother for a wonderful dinner."

His kids surrounded him and began tugging at his hands. They were still quite hyper for so late at night but Kagome knew from experience that once they got home they would be asleep in no time, well that was at least what Shippo was like when he was their age.

"I always wondered why you were so caring to us all, and why you treated me like your own son even though I was...different." Shippo said in a hushed tone.

He ducked his heads so that long red bangs covered his eyes so she could not see directly into them. "It's because that was how you were raised. You and your mother as so much alike and even though I missed you so much when you left, I know that this is where you belong and that my little time with you was a gift in itself. Thank you Kagome, I don't know what kind of person I would have been if it weren't for you. Heck, I may not have even made it through it alive."

Kagome's own eyes were filling with tears at the quiet confession.

"Plus," Shippo said lifting his head to show sparkling green eyes that were just barely containing tears. "I think it's about time to return to my roots like Koga did and move back to Tokyo. That way my kids will get to know their 'grandmother' and see just how wonderful she really is."

The kids, who had been distracted thus far by their mother, looked at their father at his declaration. A little confused but excited all the same that they would soon be moving to a new town where they could spend more time with the family they had come to adore. Gisele smiled at Kagome and thanked her for a wonderful time. After a brief hug between the two women she shuffled her family out the door and waved goodbye for the night.

The wolf pack was the next to leave with tons of thanks to their gracious hosts. The women were adamant of having the Higurashi family over to their house for a dinner but weren't sure how the ever paranoid Higurashi elder would take being in a house full of demons. To settle the discussion so that the impatient men could get their pack mates out of the house, Seiichi offered his house a neutral ground and after a promise to figure out details later, they all left with hugs and waves.

"When are you leaving?" Miroku asked Seiichi who was standing next to Kagome at the door.

He turned around and smirked at the other boy.

"I'm not."

Miroku narrowed his eyes at his friend.

"What do you mean?" He seethed.

"Oh stop it you two." Kagome huffed trying to avoid a fight. "Mom set a room up for Seiichi a while ago. He stays here all the time, you just always come over when he is already in the room or not here at all."

Miroku looked at Kagome then at Seiichi a bit hurt that he hadn't been offered into the family the way Seiichi already was.

"Don't start it. You wouldn't sleep in that room even if we had offered it to you." Kagome said reading the obvious course of his thoughts.

"Might as well be in there." Miroku grumbled.

Seiichi raised his eyebrow at Kagome as they entered the living room. Sota had turned on the TV to an old black and white holiday movie and was lying in front of the TV watching it. Sen wasn't too far from Sota as he tried to copy the boy's actions as much as he could seeing that he had some how gotten himself hopelessly tangled in a blanket.

"As punishment for going to the party and having that done to him,” She began in a soft tone so that the younger kids wouldn't overhear. "He hasn't been allowed to touch me in anyway, with some exceptions when I'm generous, until I see that he's truly sorry and won't do anything stupid like that again."

"When you're feeling generous?" Seiichi asked wondering exactly what she meant.

"Well, for example, earlier this evening when mother mortified me with the information that she knew along all of you had been sneaking in, I gifted him with being able to hold me in his arms." She said smiling at the obviously very frustrated teenager.

"Wait, so why does he come over here every night then? I can't believe all you do is talk."

Kagome smiled a devilish smile that was not suited to her face at all. "No we don't but he is slowly learning his lesson, especially when he just has to sit there and can't lay a finger on me."

Miroku bit back a low moan and held on to the back of the couch. He was bent over but the obvious bulge in his pants had Seiichi wondering what exactly went on in that room at night to leave his friend so frustrated.

Kagome smiled at Seiichi and winked. Giving a brief laugh she went over and laid in-between Sota and Sen. Sota pushed at her side trying to get her to move over some but she just gave him a quick peck on the cheek and ruffled his neatly kept hair. He just groaned in disgust and went back to watching the movie. Sen moved the best he could still tangled in the blanket and settled himself next to Kagome. She was on her stomach with her elbows supporting her head as she laid her chin in her palms. Sen crawled under the open space between her arms and body and settled down there to watch the movie.

Seiichi and Miroku moved to the couch to watch the movie with the rest of them.

“Good movie huh?” Seiichi asked his friend when he realized that the other boy hadn't once strayed his gaze from Kagome.

Miroku grunted in comment but said nothing else. Seiichi wasn't sure if it was because he had nothing to say or because he was still struggling against his suppressed desires.

“Let's go outside real quick. I need a breath of fresh air and the cold air will help you some.” He suggested in a whisper and helped the other boy off the couch and towards the small hallway.

They both put on their jackets and shoes and walked out into the cold winter's night.

“Have you heard anything about Uyeda recently?” Seiichi asked after a few moments silence.

Miroku was a bit surprised at the sudden mention of Uyeda. The whole group had done their best not to bring up their former friend. It had helped that the boy hadn't shown up for school since the incident.

“I talked to Uo a little bit after the incident but haven't heard anything since.” Miroku commented in a low voice just in case someone was listening, namely Kagome.

“What did she say?”

“She did a number on him from she told me, and trust me she went into great detail about what exactly she did to him that night. Unfortunately, she said that he seemed to get more pleasure out of it than pain so she called in her friend Arisa to help-“

“The psychic chick?” Seiichi interrupted with a frown. He had always gotten bad vibes from that girl.

“Yeah, that's her. They roughed him up some more and then left him outside the apartment complex. Not the best place to be left out in the open, especially when you are already banged up bad. Uo said he wouldn't have been able to walk after they got done with him but when they checked on him later he was gone with only a bloodstain on the pavement to prove he had been there. They think he either got picked up by the cops or by one of the local gangs. Either way no one's heard from him lately.”

Both boys fell silence, the cold air penetrating into their skin as the words sunk in. While they were very upset and angry at what Uyeda did, they would not wish death on their old friend, on anyone, but it seemed that could quite possibly be the situation. Both of them doubted at the same time that he was dead; it wasn't like Uyeda to die. He was probably in hiding somewhere or just knew better than to come around them; that he was no longer welcomed as their friend.

The silence continued and the beginnings of a new flurry of snow began falling from the darkened sky. They both stood there, silently, hands in their pockets, each amerced in their own thoughts. Seiichi was the first to break the silence.

"So what does happen up there at night?" He asked when his curiosity took over his normal control.

Miroku groaned. "She's evil, pure and simple."

Seiichi laughed at his friend.

"Seriously, don't ever piss her off, she'll make you pay. She finds your one weakness and then parades that in front of you."

"It's not too hard to discover your weakness, you've flaunted it, from what I've seen, in both this life and your past one." Seiichi snickered.

Miroku sighed and leaned against the house. Closing his eyes, he allowed a smile to grace his lips.

"It's worth it though. I'll undergo an eternity of her punishment if I have to, as long as she is still talking to me and smiling that beautiful smile of hers for me."

Seiichi looked over to his friend. The boy was head over in heels in love and the statement that he would live the rest of his life sexually frustrated just so one girl would smile at him was pure testament to that. He smiled. They deserved each other, when Miroku wasn't being a jerk.

"I'll leave you two alone then." Seiichi said moving to enter the house.

Miroku opened his eyes and looked at his friend, confused at whom else he was referring to. Seiichi gave him a wink and nodded downwards to the still evident bulge. With a growl, Miroku pounced on his friend and had him down in the snow in seconds stuffing his fluffy down jacket full of snow.

"That all you got?" Seiichi taunted.

He was able to throw Miroku off and grabbed his legs as he tried to spring into the house. Miroku fell face first in the snow and soon suffered the same fate of having snow stuffed down his jacket.

Another body piled on top of the already fighting two and Seiichi found himself again having snow piled onto him. The childish giggling above him alerted him to the fact that Sen had now joined the fight.

Seiichi looked up to see Sota and Kagome laughing at the three in the open doorway.

"Hey Sota, give a guy a hand here!" Seiichi pleaded.

Sota looked briefly at Kagome before joining the group. Miroku gave out angry protests that Sota should be helping him but soon all four boys forgot about sides and began dumping snow on each other.

Light filtered outside as the blinds were raised in the kitchen window as they watched the boys play. Hiroshi was cheering on his sons along with Mrs. Higurashi while Ami was anxious to break up the early morning snow fight.

Kagome was still in the doorway laughing. She cheered on Sota and Sen as they pounded the older boys with snow. Seiichi and Miroku both took sight of the girl cheering against them and with a shared look between them came up with a plan.

Miroku sped away from Sota and approached Kagome huffing for breath while Seiichi drew the younger two boys attention.

"Hey beautiful. You're letting all the heat out of the house." He said still trying to catch his breath but with a huge grin on his face.

Kagome eyed him warily but seeing that he had no snow in his hands let him approach her. He stood in front of her, barely a space between them, and leaned in. Kagome watched him through half closed eyes as he shut the door behind her. He brought the hand that had once grasped the doorknob to her cheek and caressed it softly. She flinched at the cold touch.

He moved down slowly, giving her time to move away if she felt his punishment was still in need of being upheld, but she didn't and he lightly graced her lips with his. He pulled away and smirked at her disappointed look.

"You better do better than that, mister, or else you may never get a chance again." She said.

He laughed and moved down to take her mouth again. He applied more pressure but still kept the kiss chaste and gentle. Kagome huffed and rose to her tippy toes, drawing her arms around his neck, and deepened the kiss herself. She took in his lower lip and began to nip and lick at it. He smirked and placed his arms around her waist.

"Eeew gross!" Sota whined, quickly followed by Sen's echo.

The two pulled apart and looked at the younger boys. It was then Kagome noticed Seiichi's disappearance.

"Where's Seii--?" She began but before she could finish she found a bucket full of snow heaved over her head.

She screamed out in outrage as Miroku and Seiichi took off away from the girl and towards the other two boys.

"Oh! So that was just a distraction, was it? You two are in so much trouble now!" She said trying hard not to laugh.

Reaching behind her, she took the snow that had collected in her hood from her impromptu snow shower and formed it into a ball.

"Whatcha gonna do? Throw that at us? I bet you throw like a girl!" Seiichi taunted.

He ducked as Kagome threw the ball at him with tremendous accuracy. She reached down to grab some more snow.

"Pitchers got a big butt! Pitchers got a big butt!" Sota began taunting at his sister, soon echoed by Sen again.

Miroku and Seiichi were almost on the ground laughing so hard. They didn't notice as she took aim and hit both boys with large snowballs.

"Ow!" They boys cried out.

They rubbed the spot the balls had hit and noticed the rocks that Kagome had obviously packed into her snowballs. She smiled smugly at the boys before she began chasing after Sen and Sota to get them back for their jibes.

She caught Sen first and picked him up. He laughed and howled in mock horror as she showered him with kisses.

"That's not real fighting. Girls don't fight fun." Sota complained as he made his way to the other boys.

"I don't know, I'm kind of jealous. That seems like a lot of fun to me." Miroku said smiling.

Seiichi grunted in agreement and Sota made a face of disgust.

"Gross man, that's my sister." He left to go rescue Sen from his sister's grasp.

The two teens laughed and got up from their sitting position. They both took their time to dust the snow off of them before the casually walked up to the other three. Sota had gotten Sen out of Kagome's grasp but now was being stuffed full of snow. Sota was loudly protesting but couldn't get his sister to let go if his jacket.

Miroku snuck up behind her and grabbed her waist. He quickly spun her around allowing Sota to rip his jacket from her grasp. Kagome used her well built up defense skills against him. She grabbed his arms and tried to firmly plant her feet in the ground so she could flip him. The snow proved to be an obstacle and she slipped briefly before gaining her footing. This slip was enough to alert Miroku to her intentions and prepared for it. When she pulled her body weight against him to start the move he countered it and clung to her form, bring them both down on the ground, Miroku on top.

Kagome squeaked as the air was forced out of her lungs. Miroku moved his body weight to his arms as he propped himself up to check on her.

"You okay?" He asked gently cupping one of her cheeks.

She nodded and smiled. He leaned down to take a kiss from her when they both found armfuls of snow dumped down on them. Miroku turned his head, expecting to see Seiichi, Sota and Sen above him but saw instead his father and Kagome's mother. They both were grinning broadly.

His mother was over by Sen trying to get the excess snow off of him but only succeeding in getting more snow on herself.

"Looked like you both needed to cool down some." Hiroshi said winking at the two.

Miroku groaned. "Between his comments and your punishment, I'm surprised I haven't died due to lack of blood in my brain."

Kagome giggled at the comment meant only for her. He carefully got up, trying hard not to grind himself against the girl underneath him, and then helped her up.

"It's on now." He challenged as he took up snow and glared at his father.

"Bring it on boyo." He challenged back.

Seconds later the two were wrestling on the ground trying to see who could get the other to eat snow. Sen was giggling from his spot in his mother's arms and was squirming desperately to get down so he could rough house with the other boys.

"Boys." Kagome sighed walking over to join her mother who was laughing amusedly at the fight in front of them.

Her mother looked at her sideways. Kagome missed the look she had just received but she didn't miss the ton of snow being dumped on her.

"Mother!" She screamed.

Sota and Seiichi broke down into laughter as Kagome chased after her mother with a handful of snow, determined to get her back.

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It was closing in on four o'clock before everyone made there way back in. Sen and Ami had gone back in earlier and Sen was now asleep on the couch.

Miraculously the middle of the night snow fight didn't wake up the entire neighborhood but had succeeded in thoroughly exhausting the participating members of the fight.

"It's already four, so you may as well stay the rest of the night." Mrs. Higurashi said to the exhausted Tensei's.

"You two can take my bed since it's the largest." She said to Hiroshi and Ami. "We can bring Sen up to share a room with Sota and I'll take the spare room. I'll gather some spare blankets and pillows and the boys can make their selves comfortable down here."

After a small protest from Ami, everything was settled. Mrs. Higurashi took the Tensei's to her bedroom and made sure they were comfortable before helping carrying Sen to Sota's room and making those two comfortable.

"Don't stay up too much longer and Kagome, sleep in your own room tonight...alone." She said.

She gave her daughter a kiss and walked up the stairs to the spare room. Kagome smiled and moved to say goodnight to the other two teens. She had brought down blankets and pillows from the linen closet and had helped spread them out on the floor.

The fire had long since died out but some small embers still glowed a soft red.

"Goodnight guys." She yawned.

She gave Seiichi a hug and then moved to give Miroku a quick peck on the cheek. Miroku pouted.

She giggled tiredly. "I'm too tired for anything more sweetie. Maybe tomorrow."

Miroku's eyes lit up. Hopefully that was the indication that his punishment was over. Kagome's smile was tired and just a bit forced as she saw Miroku's happy expression. He noticed this.

"Go to sleep now Kagome." He whispered kissing her nose.

She nodded and leaned against him, trying to gather in his warmth.

"I'll be right back." Miroku said as he bent down to pick Kagome up.

He held her with one arm behind her back and the other behind her knees. He carried her upstairs as quietly as possible and deposited her in her bed.

"Goodnight baby." He whispered and kissed her already closed eyelids.

He tucked her in and quietly left the room.

"I like her. You made a good choice." His mother said from behind him.

He turned around, a bit startled at her sudden appearance, and smiled. She kissed his forehead and shooed him back towards the living room where he was supposed to sleep.

"Goodnight mom." He said behind a yawn.

"Goodnight sweetheart." She whispered.

"Goodnight Seiichi." She said a bit louder when she heard the snicker from the living room.

"Goodnight Mrs. T." He called back.

Miroku parted ways with his mother and dragged himself to the makeshift bed. Seiichi was already curled underneath a mountain of blankets.

"Goodnight sweetheart." Seiichi called in a masculine interpretation of a woman's voice.

He gave his friend a quick kick as he walked by, earning an indignant cry from under the blankets, before he made himself comfortable and went to sleep.

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Everyone got a late start the next day except for Kagome's grandfather who was grumbling angrily about being the only one who had to actually get up at a respectable hour.

Sen was one of the first awake of the group. He tried to wake Sota but seeing that his bedmate refused to be roused he quickly made his way downstairs where he found his brother buried under a several blankets. He smiled at the pile and remembered when he and his friends had jumped in the leaf piles at daycare. They had gotten in trouble for it but it was a lot of fun.

A mischievous smile came across his face and he ran towards the pile of blankets. He jumped as high as his short legs could get him and came down hard on the lump hiding his brother.

"Mmph." Was the muffled cry that came from under the blankets.

Wild giggles met Miroku's ears as he removed the blankets from his face. Sen was laughing hysterically at his brother. He glared at the younger boy and debated about throwing the boy out in the snow to silence him.

"Sen, you shouldn't have done that. He's going to be grumpy for the rest of the day now." Kagome said stifling a yawn of her own.

She had come down in her pajamas, only bothering to run a comb through her hair quickly before she followed Sen downstairs. She had heard him get up and decided it was probably not best to let him roam the house by himself.

"Who you callin' grumpy, Ms. Monkey Pants?" He said leaning back to look at the reverse image of the girl.

"Monkey Pants?" Came a muffled question from underneath the other pile of blankets.

Sen found the comment hysterical and busted out in giggles and chants of "Monkey Pants."

"You should take note that your little brother found that hilarious and that should be a big clue on the maturity level of that comment, Mr. Grumpy."

Kagome walked over and picked Sen up.

"Let's go get us some breakfast, okay?" She offered the boy.

He eagerly agreed and the two of them left the room.

"Seriously, Miroku, Monkey Pants?" Seiichi asked finally coming out of the warm blanket cocoon.

"Shut the hell up Seiichi." He growled extracting himself from the blankets and making his way to the kitchen.

"She's right, you are grumpy in the morning." Seiichi called after him.

-------------------------

A phone call awoke the rest of the household. Kagome and Sen were happily making pancakes in the kitchen while Miroku and Seiichi were sitting at the low kitchen table playing paper football.

The Tensei's came into the kitchen and joined the boys at the table. They were obviously not morning people either and Kagome wondered if Sen would someday be the same as the rest of his family.

"Look mama, I'm making pancakes!" Sen called over excitedly to his mother.

The boy seemed to be always dirty and now pancake batter covered clothing and body alike, along with the marshmallow clumps that had been missed the day before.

Ami smiled at her son but the early morning hour combined with the lack of sleep prevented her from getting enough energy up to speak to her child.

Hiroshi was finally waking up and had joined the game of football. Ami sighed and pressed her forehead against the cool kitchen table.

"Here, looks like you need this." Kagome said, avoiding the game, and placing the freshly brewed cup of coffee in front of the older woman.

Soon Ami found the fuzz from around her brain begin to recede. She wondered why she hadn't noticed the smell earlier but didn't dwell on it for long. She smiled up at the angel above her.

"Thank you dear, you're a heaven send."

Kagome offered her a smile before she returned her attention to Sen and the cooking pancakes.

"Kagome! That one's burnt." Sen wailed as they brought some of the finished pancakes off the griddle.

"That's okay, we'll give that one to Miroku."

"Hey!" Miroku cried out at the comment completely forgetting the game going on.

He ended up getting the small, triangular paper football smacked right in his face. The kitchen broke out in laughter except Miroku who crossed his arms and began to pout.

"What's so funny?" A tired Sota asked coming into the kitchen.

"You're just in time. The first round of pancakes is ready." Kagome said balancing the platter of fresh pancakes in one arm and Sen in the other.

She placed both at the table, one on top, one on a chair.

"Why was that funny?" Sota asked confused.

He sat at the table as everyone began laughing lightly at him.

"There is juice in the fridge if you want it." Kagome told them as she returned to the griddle to make more pancakes.

Seiichi got up and poured drinks for everyone before taking his seat again and digging in.

"Hey Kagome, these are really good, almost as good as mom makes them." Sota declared between a mouthful of syrup covered pancakes.

"I helped!" Sen basically screamed, spewing half-chewed food on the table in front of him.

"Sen don't talk with your mouthful." Ami scolded.

"Same goes for you." Kagome said sternly over to Sota.

Both boys nodded briefly before shoveling more food into their mouths.

"Can I get anything else for anyone?" She asked.

They all nodded negatively and Kagome sat down to eat up a couple pancakes herself.

"Hey Kagome at least you know if all else fails you can become an excellent chef or waitress." Seiichi teased.

"Ha!" Miroku snorted almost spitefully. "No wife of mine will be a waitress."

The whole kitchen went silent as both Miroku and Kagome turned bright red and sunk down into themselves.

"Um-Takai? Is there something you need to tell us?" Hiroshi asked for once very serious.

Both teens shook their head.

"Takai?" He asked again.

"Um-just planning for the future?" Miroku offered as an explanation hoping they would just drop it.

Luckily Mrs. Higurashi walked in dispelling most of the awkwardness.

"I'm so sorry for being so rude." She apologized.

She was freshly showered and dressed a little more nicely than normal.

"Looking good Mrs. H." Seiichi commented.

She smiled in thanks.

"Ami, Hiroshi I'm sorry for just leaving you like this but I'm meeting someone in a little bit."

"So that was what that phone call was." The oldest Tensei teased causing her to blush.

Kagome and Sota smiled at their mother.

"You're welcome to stay as long as you want." Mrs. Higurashi offered the guests.

"We need to run anyway." Ami said finishing the last of her third cup of coffee.

"Yeah, thank you for a wonderful time but we must be going and we better take our sons with us. One has made a thorough mess of your kitchen and the other has already professed that he is going to marry your daughter."

Mrs. Higurashi paused with wide eyes and looked at the two teens. They were both beet red and obviously uncomfortable.

"Well Miroku I hope you help clean the kitchen before you leave and Sen though I approve of you marrying Kagome, you're a bit young and you'll have to wait a few years yet." She said trying to smooth the moment over.

Sen beamed up at the older woman. He ran to Kagome and climbed into her lap. Throwing his arms around her neck, he began to shower her with sticky syrup kisses. Everyone laughed at the boy's antics.

After a few more minutes of random conversation everyone began getting ready to go. Mrs. Higurashi excused herself and left for her lunch date with Amida.

The Tensei's left next with a loudly protesting Sen. He wanted to stay with Kagome but his mother insisted he came home for a proper bath. They only way they got the screaming child out of the house was with a promise that Kagome would visit later.

Miroku had come separately so he didn't leave with the rest of his family.

“Hey Kagome," Seiichi said after he changed into some of the clothes he kept at the Higurashi shrine. “I'm going to take Sota to the mall and the arcade. We'll see you later.”

Sota appeared finally awake and freshly dressed. He was very excited about getting to spend the rest of the day playing games.

The two left and Kagome angrily realized they had left all the dirty dishes for her. She began to clean them when she felt another presence in the kitchen with her. She looked over to see Miroku rolling up his sleeves.

“Where should I start?” He asked looking at the large pile of dirty dishes on the kitchen table and the stacks already in the sink.

“If you can start collecting the dishes on the table and bringing them over to the sink, I'll start cleaning there.”

Miroku nodded and began doing as he was told. About half way through, Kagome felt a pair of arms encircle around waist. Lips descended on her neck as she felt Miroku press himself against her.

“Ah, domestication.” He said with a smile against her neck.

Kagome huffed and playfully moved to slap at him. He just laughed and went back to work. She watched as he collected the last of the dishes from the table.

“Did you mean it?” She asked, her head cocked to the side a bit.

“Mean what?” He asked not looking up.

“You know, earlier…when we…" Kagome stopped already blushing but not before Miroku caught onto her meaning.

He smiled at her. He brought the dishes up to the sink and put them in. He then took the dishes out of her hand and turned her fully so she was facing him. He was standing flush against her body and she in turn was flush against the counter behind her.

He brushed some suds off her face before gently running fingers through her hair. He smiled down at her. Her eyes were wide and locked with his eyes. She was nothing less than beautiful, always had been.

He bent down and placed a ghost of a kiss on her lips.

“Of course I did. I would be ever so lucky to one day marry you.” He whispered before deepening the kiss briefly but enough to leave them both breathless.

He pulled back and smiled at her stunned state. He smirked and bit back a chuckle. He took one of Kagome's hand and bent down on one knee. Kagome instantly came out of her shocked state to look down at him. She blinked a couple times but each time she opened her eyes he was still down on bended knee.

“M-Miroku?” She asked in a wavering voice.

He held up his hand to stop her from talking.

“Kagome Higurashi,” he began. “Will you…bear my children?”

It took a second for Kagome to react. She tore her hand out of his grasp.

“Why you.” She growled and began throwing the soapsuds from the sink at him.

He began laughing and dodged the suds. He finally was able to grasp her hands and pull her close enough to steal a kiss from her.

She immediately stopped her assault on him and melted into his body. The kiss started out just as something to distract her but soon was filled with the unfulfilled passion that both were hiding just underneath the surface.

Kagome wrapped her arms around his neck as Miroku brought their bodies flush with his arms resting loosely against her hips. His fingers dug into her as they deepened the kiss. His tongue pillaged her mouth as he explored the moist cavern as if he had never done so before.

He moaned as she began on sucking on his tongue. His mind had been long ago lost in a lust filled haze. They broke apart after several minutes. Their faces were flushed and eyes both clouded with lust.

Picking her up bridal style, he resumed kissing her as he exited the kitchen and walked up the stairs to her room. Kagome's arms tightened around his neck and he lowered them both to the soft, pink clad bed. They broke the kiss only momentarily so that they could breathe and situate themselves comfortably.

“Kagome.” Miroku groaned out when she unconsciously rubbed against his growing arousal.

She answered him with a throaty moan of her own and pulled him down for another kiss. He devoured her mouth, all the pint up frustration coming to the surface. He never wanted to let go of her again, now that she was finally allowing him to touch her once again. He moved his hands along her body memorizing ever curve as if this was the last time he would ever touch her. She arched into his hand as he grasped one cloth-clad breast and began kneading it.

"Miroku." She moaned.

It was throaty sound that went straight to his already painfully hard erection. It was a sound of passion and need that Miroku was all to ready to fulfill for her but his still heavy conscious from the party held him back. He gathered up enough control to raise up on one elbow to look down at her. Her lips were swollen from their shared kisses and her face was flushed. She looked at him questioning through half-closed eyes.

"Are you sure?" He whispered bringing up a hand to caress one of her cheeks.

She gave him a smile that held more than just her usual sunny disposition. This smile shown a seductive side of Kagome that Miroku had only recently been privy too and never allowed to touch.

"Yes, I'm sure." She said in the husky tone that had all but taken over her normal voice.

He smiled and bent back down to gently press his lips against hers.

"I meant it Kagome, I do want to marry you, because I do love you, no matter how stupid I've been in the past, I love you very much."

Kagome just giggled and threw her arms around him. He crashed into her and moved awkwardly so he could rest against her without painfully trapping his arousal.

"I know that, sexy, only someone who loved me would put up with the amount of teasing I've put you through the past few weeks, especially considering how much of a pervert you are."

Miroku playfully growled and nipped at her neck as he slowly began to grind against her. Kagome gave a half giggle as the sensations of his heated body grinding against hers began to send her mind back into the haze it just recently retreated from.

"Miroku, stop playing, no more teasing." She all but moaned.

He grunted in agreement, the sensations wracking his body making it too hard to speak. He looked up into her eyes once more making sure that she was indeed ready for this last step together before he began to rid them both of their clothing.

----------------------

Three Years (and some odd months) Later...

Miroku sat lazily on the couch as he watched some random movie on the TV. Sota sat next to him, equally spaced out but completely enjoying the company of the man he now saw as his true older brother.

After graduating from high school, Miroku had decided to go to Tokyo University for its close proximity to his family and, more importantly, Kagome. She still had three more years of high school left when he graduated but the three years seemed to fly as they, more or less, happily dated.

He was studying to become a history teacher. This was his third and hopefully last change of majors seeing that he would soon be approaching his fourth year in college. He had started out looking into medicine but soon changed over to archeology before finally settling on his current course of study. He had also debated about becoming a professional lifeguard/surfer but Kagome put that one to rest fast and threatened that if he didn't take college more seriously she would recommend him to priesthood under the study of her grandfather. Miroku eagerly got back into his studies after that threat, he had already lived in one life as a monk and didn't particularly want to live another one under that same profession.

"Where's Sen at?" The future Mrs. Yogi (a.k.a. the former Mrs. Higurashi) asked.

Mrs. Higurashi and Amida had dated for almost as long as Miroku and Kagome had and this past Holiday Season, he had surprised everyone with his proposal. Both she and the whole family eagerly accepted him, even the eldest Higurashi was reluctant to push away the man that made his daughter so happy. The wedding was scheduled for the coming June and with only a month away and Kagome's graduation nearing, things were very hectic around the Higurashi shrine. This was the reason for Sota's exhausted and quiet attitude.

"Not sure, haven't seen the family today. I figured if I went by the house someone would have suckered me into bringing him with me and since I'm still not too keen with my little brother making passes at my girlfriend, I thought I should just avoid them altogether."

The older woman laughed at him. Sen had indeed remembered the little joke from several years before when she had asked him if he was going to marry Kagome. Even though he was just three at the time he fully remembered and had professed several times his love and proposal of marriages to the older girl. It had become a joke to all but Miroku and Sen who seem to take both very serious. Sen had become a spitting image of his brother and possessed an even more suave like personality. That combined with his baby face and beautiful, big eyes helped him get away with things even Miroku couldn't. It seemed Sen was destined to be an even bigger handful and player than his older brother was.

"You did remember to invite your family to the graduation, right?" She asked him suspiciously.

"Yes ma'am. I think my parents would have killed me if I didn't remember that, especially my mom." He answered truthfully and with a slight glint of fear in his eyes.

"They'll be there. Dad even went and cancelled a business trip so he could attend."

Graduation was just two days away. The seniors always got out a week before the rest of the school in order to allow the graduating seniors a last chance to hang out before they began going their separate ways. Because of this, Miroku had barely seen his girlfriend all week and so they had agreed (after a very heated argument that Miroku almost lost due to a threat of no sex for a month) that Kagome and he would go out tonight, just the two of them, and then she could spend the rest of the week with her friends, including graduation night. Miroku smiled to himself, he had won the argument and was very happy for it, even with the sacrifice he had to make.

"I'll see what's taking her so long."

Miroku smiled at the older woman. He was a bit uncomfortable sitting around in his formal clothing. Heck, he was a college student and rarely dressed out of his usual attire of jeans and a T-shirt.

"You really gonna do it?" Sota asked, the first time he had spoken since Miroku had arrived.

The older boy looked at the younger. He lifted an eyebrow silently questioning what Sota knew.

"Seiichi is like my older brother too, ya know, and we tell each other a lot of things. Not to mention I was eavesdropping when you came over to talk to grandfather."

Miroku smirked. "Smart kid, and yeah I'm really going to do it. I've been waiting for a while for the right moment." He smiled to himself.

"Good luck, you'll need it." Sota commented before returning his attention back to the old movie.

They sat in silence for several more minutes before two feminine voices began filtering down from the hallway indicating that both Higurashi females were coming downstairs. Miroku stood to greet his girlfriend. He turned just as she was entering the room.

He felt that all the air had been taken from the room as he stared at the breathtaking sight in front of him. She wore a long, elegant dress made of a dark indigo silky fabric that clung to her just enough to complement her curves. The dress tied around her neck and dipped low between her breasts to allow plenty of cleavage but held in enough so she still left some to the imagination. From there the dress clung closely to her body until it reached her hips where the fabric fell more in folds that flowed ever so gently as she walked giving her the illusion of floating. The back of the dress, as Miroku was delighted to see, dipped low to the small of her back and left everything above that bare. Miroku's hand itched to run his hands on the unclothed flesh but knew better than let his hands go wandering.

"You look beautiful." He whispered.

Kagome smiled. Two tendrils of hair on either side of her face were the only parts of her hair that was left down. The rest was done in several intricate knots and braids that when put altogether made a hairstyle nothing less than elegant.

"I fell like we're going to prom again, except you're not wearing a tux." Kagome giggled.

Miroku laughed. "Well, for you, I'll go get a tux and put it on, if that makes you happy."

Kagome blushed and looked away. Sota choked and gagged over on the couch but quickly stopped the interruption when he got a harsh look from his mother.

"You two go out and have fun. Don't worry about curfews, just try to think reasonably and don't get into trouble." She said walking the two to the door.

"And good luck." She added quietly so only Miroku could hear.

He nodded in thanks and took Kagome's hand and led her to his father's car, which he had borrowed for the occasion.

"Well Sota," She announced as she watched her daughter and Miroku walk down the stairs. "It looks like just you and me. What do you want to do?"

"Video games?" He asked flatly knowing she wouldn't accept.

"You're on!" She said and took off towards her son's room. "Last one there is a rotten egg and has to bring up snacks for the other."

Sota stared as his mother who had just bolted. Then he realized what she said.

"Hey that's no fair, you had a head start!" He yelled back running after her.

--------------------------------

Miroku stayed silent as he drove to the prestigious new restaurant they had reservations for. Seiichi and Koga had pulled some strings to get them in too but they were both very eager to help him.

Kagome talked continually while in the car, oblivious to Miroku's anxiousness. She and her friends had done a lot of things over the course of the week and she wasn't about to let him go on living without knowing every detail.

He found this slightly aggravating though he was glad she could talk through his nervousness to avoid an uncomfortable silence. He just really didn't care what a bunch of girls, and Hojo, did during the week. Not to mention he wasn't a big fan of Hojo in the first place. The boy was mostly harmless but had an iron will and combine that with the brain density of wood log, you had the makings of trouble. Miroku didn't know if the boy was just oblivious to Kagome's "taken" status or if just chose to ignore it but he never gave up asking Kagome out, much to Miroku's annoyance, and she would always turn him down politely, which in turn only helped fuel his will to ask her out. Oh, how he despised Hojo.

"We're here." Miroku interrupted his girlfriend as the arrived at the posh downtown restaurant.

On the outside it looked like an old factory building with the only indication of a business being a simple neon green light that spelled out "érotique" in delicate, curvy letters.

"What is this place?" Kagome asked as he guided her to the door.

A man, dressed like any common bouncer in a dark suit, no tie, let them in. He nodded once at the two and ushered them in. Once in the restaurant there was an entirely different image from the one out front. Fine carpeting ran down a long hall decorated with tapestries, portraits, and vases of unknown value. Small sconces allowed just enough light to allow them to walk down the hall without any problems but still kept the mood soft and romantic.

Near the end of the hall was the maitre d' who waited at an unusual type of podium. Instead of just a normal wood base, this one had a woman and a man intertwined in orgasmic bliss with the woman's hands lifted above her head where the top was connected. The two marble created people wore little clothing and the sculpture's talent was obviously immense seeing the details you could see on both their bodies and especially their faces.

The maitre d' smirked at Kagome's blush. "Do you have reservations?" The man asked in his job specific snooty voice.

"Yes we do. Tensei Takai." Miroku said wrapping an arm around his girlfriend's waist. He wasn't too pleased with the looks the man before him was throwing at her.

"Ah, yes. Right on time too, very good. Please follow me." He said grabbing two menus and a wine listing.

They followed him back through the restaurant that was decorated in all sorts of decor but mainly stuck with one that mimicked the podium. Kagome found herself fighting down blushes as she saw the images of people in various sexual positions and degrees of orgasm. Miroku just smirked admiring the art with great appreciation.

"Here you go, the waitress will be with you briefly."

They sat down at low table, with some degree of difficulty for Kagome in her dress.

"What is this place?" She asked once the maitre d' had left.

The way the restaurant was set up was that every party had their own little booth that was effectively just a small room closed off entirely by shoji screens. This was mostly for privacy, whoever had created the restaurant had hoped that the decor would inspire his customers to have some of their own fun. Said fun could be heard from the room next to them.

"It is one of the finest restaurants in Tokyo, also one of the most scandalous."

Kagome shot him a look and crossed her arms. This effectively pushed her boobs up in her shirt and threatened to spill over the top. He gently moved her arms back down.

"Do not worry my Kagome, that isn't why I brought you here. My father recommended this place for their food, though you'll have to thank Seiichi and Koga for helping me get the reservations." He said.

Kagome couldn't help but relax at the sound of his voice and leaned into him. He drew one arm to rest around her while he opened the menu and looked through it. They sat silently only commenting on what sounded good on occasion.

"Are you ready to order?" A timid voice came from outside the screens.

"You can come in." Miroku said and a few moments later a woman wearing a formal kimono entered.

She smiled at the young couple who was just lovingly lounging about with each other.

"Do you two know what you would like?" She asked politely.

Kagome nodded and Miroku ordered for them both and then ordered a fine Italian wine to complement the meal. The woman took their orders then left.

"So, people are really...you know...in this restaurant." Kagome asked blushing fiercely and trying to hide in Miroku's shirt.

He wrapped both arms around her and gently moved her so she was sitting on his lap. He only nodded and leaned back a little so his back was resting against the wall.

"It's kind of erotic to listen to, ya know?" She said timidly after a few moment of silence.

If Miroku had been drinking water this would have been the part where he spit it all out. He pulled Kagome back, whose whole face and chest was beet red. She tried desperately to get back and hide in his shirt again. Miroku just chuckled and allowed her to tuck herself away.

The two of them just sat there for a while, listening to the "natural" sounds from around the restaurant. After a few minutes, Kagome figured she couldn't turn any more red and started up a conversation. They talked pleasantly about this and that, nothing unparticular. She mentioned that Sota had just gotten a new girlfriend in which Miroku smirked.

"I don't like that look on your face." Kagome said looking up at him from her position on his lap.

He kissed the top of her head and gently moved her so she was sitting next to him but still touching.

"It's nothing to be worried over. I just feel that someone should teach him the ways of women, he's at that age to learn."

"Oh no you don't!" Kagome cried out grabbing her boyfriend's collar. "You will not teach my little brother to be a pervert."

"But my dearest Kagome," He began, digging in his pocket for the small box that rested there. "He's going to be my little brother too and it's my part as an older brother to teach him what he needs to know."

Kagome narrowed her eyes to begin yelling at him when she realized what he said.

"Wait, what?" She asked looking at him curiously.

He took her left hand and brought it to his mouth. He kissed her ring finger gently before bringing it down to rest in both of his hands. He had slipped the soft velvet box out of his pocket and it now lay in his hands next to hers.

"M-Miroku?" Kagome asked nervously, her body shaking.

He smiled at her his most sincere smile and opened the box. She gasped at the ring that lay within it. It was a princess cut diamond set in the middle of a white-gold band. Beside the large, main diamond were two smaller ones, one on each side, cut in heart shaped and stretching against the length of the band. It was a simple ring but from the size and cuts of the diamonds it was by no doubt very expensive.

He slipped the ring on her fingers slowly and looked up at her. He was shaking as bad as she was.

"Higurashi Kagome, you have been the only person I have ever truly loved, in this life and in the last one, will you do me the honor of marrying me and becoming my wife." He all but whispered to her.

The tears had long since started to flow from Kagome's eyes. She simply stared at him and smiled. Throwing her arms around his neck she answered in the only answer her heart and brain could think of.

"Of course I'll marry you." She cried into his neck.

A goofy smile plastered itself on Miroku's face as he held the girl in his arms as close to him as possible. He allowed her to pull back some before he gently pressed his lips against hers. It wasn't a rushed, heated kiss as theirs had been in the past, but one simply to speak of the love they had for each other. It spoke well.

"You know this means you'll have to bear my children as well." Miroku joked after they had settled back again to wait for their food.

Kagome just smiled as she examined the ring on her finger. "I think I can handle that."

_____________________________

And that's the end of that. Again BIG thanks goes to Lady Sere who stepped up at the last minute to help me get this posted. Sorry for the lateness. You can shower Sere with tons of expensive gifts now.

If I get a good response from this chapter, I may think of doing an epilogue for this fic. But, I must have a pretty hefty amount of reviews and such.

BTW, read my profile for some information of my latest bouts with insanity.

Don't forget to review! And thank you to everyone who took their time to review during the course of this fic, it was greatly appreciated!

Also, check out my newest two fanfictions. One is a Naruto fanfic called Memoirs of a Hokage. And the other is a Inuyasha fanfic called Moments From A Southern Romance.

Here's a brief summary from both:

Memoirs of a Hokage: PG-13+ Slightly AU; Told from Naruto's POV; The Life and Times of Uzamaki Naruto; A look back on his life and the events that eventually led up to his becoming Hokage; Pairings NaruSasu

Moments from a Southern Romance: PG-13+ Kagome grew up in small Homewood, Alabama with her family where she dreamed of being "somebody" some day. This happy young girl was forced to grow up fast and her dreams shattered. It took a traumatic incident threatening the one person she held the most dear to finally rip her away from the roots she had planted in Homewood to seek help from her childhood friends. While trying to get back on her feet in D.C., with the help of her friends, both old and new, she finds love waiting and her dreams rekindled. Pairings: Various but eventually Kag/Inu

Thank you again, and please check out my new fics…and don't forget to review!

Until Next Time…

Sfae